The Spartanburg County Foundation was pleased to partner with the Council on Foundations to host the first Inclusive Economic Prosperity in the South Convening May 23-24, 2018. Nearly 130 regional and national philanthropic leaders gathered on the campuses of Milliken and Company and BMW North America to examine the landscape that contributes to a healthy economy that seeks to be both equitable and innovative.
Co-Founder of the Ballmer Group, Chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers, and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer joined the convening as the keynote speaker. Mr. Ballmer provided meaningful and strategic ideas to increase a community’s economic mobility. Local leaders such as Bill Barnet, Mary Thomas, and Gage Weekes facilitated group discussions and provided expertise on philanthropy’s role of inclusive economic prosperity.
As the first convening of its kind, the purpose of Inclusive Economic Prosperity in the South was to bring philanthropic and community leaders together to hear from local, regional, and national experts on topics such as community leadership, capitalization and impact investing, resource alignment, and competitive talent development.
The goal of the Inclusive Economic Prosperity in the South convening was to bring together leaders from foundations and organizations of all asset sizes, types, and geographies for in-depth learning and networking. By bringing in experts in the field, the convening sought to spark discussion and collaborative action toward economic challenges facing Southern communities.
Participants received a wide range of data-driven information that sparked critical conversations and encouraged collaborative action. Twenty organizations and businesses from across the region contributed to the convening, showing evidence that the content of the discussions was relevant and necessary.
More Information
For more information, please see the Spartanburg Herald Journal article on climbing the economic ladder in Spartanburg and this year’s Inclusive Economic Prosperity in the South event.
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